Machine tools



J. F. KOPCZYNSK! MACHINE TOOLS May 31, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheei 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1954 INVENTOR.

May 31, 1955 J. F. KOPCZYNSKI MACHINE TOOLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1954 INVENTOR. Ji /m F 1 (3 02127.95:

J. F. KOPCZYNSK! MACHINE TOOLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 12, 1954 INVENTQR. 037/1551 May 31, 1955 J. F. KOPCZYNSKI MACHINE TOOLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 12, 1954 4 NMR INVENTOR. {W i MACHINE T0015 John F. Knpczynslsi, Bufialo, N. Y.

Application August 12, 1954, Serial No. 449,386

7 Claims. (Cl. 51-4345) This invention relates to machine tools, and particularly to those that are used to center, hold and rotate object which is to be operated upon, or which itself is a tool that is to be rotated at a high speed and used to operate upon some other object.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device for centering and rotating an object, and shifting it back and forth endwise through limited extents of travel; which will automatically accommodate objects of different diameters; with which the object may be rotated at a relatively high speed without the use of high speed bearings and with a minimum of friction; with which a uniform and continuous holding pressure may be exerted on the held object during its endwise reciprocation; and which will be relatively simple, compact, convenient and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a plan of a device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front face elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a small portion of the same, with the section taken approximately along the line 4-4, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 6 -6 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of small parts showing in an exaggerated manner, the different positions of one of.the wheels for causing endwise movement of the object that is centered and held between the wheels;

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram which may be used in connection with the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 6; and

Fig. 10 is a modification of the same showing the use of hydraulic circuits, instead of electrical circuits, in the control of the endwise movements of the object that is held and rotated.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the tool includes a base plate 1 having in one corner thereof an upright column 2, and the latter rotatably supports two horizontal parallel shafts 3 and 4, see Fig. 6, approximately alined but spaced apart vertically. Each shaft is mounted in a passage through the column, and each of these shafts is rotatably supported at its ends by roller bearings 5 (Fig. l) and a bearing seal 6 abuts the outer faceof each bearing 5. Each shaft extends atboth ends beyond the column 2. A disk or wheel 7 is detachably mounted upon the forward end of the upper shaft 3 in any suitable manner, but is coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith.

Another disk or wheel 8 is detachably coupled upon States Patent the forward end of the lower shaft 4 so as to rotate with that shaft, and the wheels 7 and 8 are disposed in vertical alinement. Each of the wheels 7 and 8 is provided with a peripherally extending groove 9. The other end of the shaft 3 carries a grooved pulley 10 (Figs 1 and 6) and the rear end of the shaft 4 carries a grooved pulley 11. of the shafts 3 and 4 so as to drive the same. An elec tric motor 12, Figs. 1 and 6, is secured upon a bracket 13 that is provided on the upper face of the plate 1, and the shaft 14 of the motor carries a grooved pulley 15. An endless belt 16 of the V type passes around all of the pulleys 10, 11 and 15 so that the motor will rotate the pulleys 1t and 11 in the same direction and at the same speed, it being understood that pulleys 10 and 11 have the same diameters.

Extending sidewise from the column 2 (Fig. 2) are two vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, and vertically alined posts 17. A bridge member 18 has apertures 19 in the ends through which the posts 17 slidingly pass, and by which the bridge member 18 is slidingly mounted on the posts 17 for movement toward and from the column 2. Each end of the member 18, from the passage 19 to the end, is split and a screw 20 passes through the portions of each end at opposite sides of the split, so as to clamp the split end releasably to the post 17 which passes through that end of the member 18. A member or slide 21 is provided with apertures through which the posts 17 extend. The posts thus provide a sliding support for the member or slide 21. A rod 22 is secured at one end in a recess 23 in a face of the slide, by means of a transverse pin 24, see Fig. 3, and this rod 22 extends outwardly through a passage 25 in the bridge member 18. A hardened bearing bushing 26 lines the passage 25.

An operating handle 27 is pivoted to the outer end of the rod 22 by a pivot pin 28, and the surface of the end of the handle 27 which is adjacent to the pin 28 and which bears upon the adjacent face of the member 18, is an arcuate surface 29 which is eccentric to the pivot pin 28. The extreme end of the handle 27 is the nearest to the pivot 28, and the arcuate surface 29 becomes progressively farther from the pivot for approximately degrees or more. When the handle 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, it holds the rod 22 outwardly and thereby shifts the slide member 21 toward the mem ber 18. Helical compression springs 30 are disposed between the adjacent faces of the member 18 and slide 21, and are under compression at all times so as to urge the slide 21 away from the member 18 and toward the column 2. The ends of these springs may be received in recesses in the faces of the member 18 and slide 21,

so as to allow a close approach of slide 21 to the member.

18 and to prevent danger of the springs 30 being lost or displaced. When the handle 27 is moved into a horizontal or straight out position it releases the rod 22, and the springs 30 then shift the member 21 toward the column 2.

An element 31 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) is disposed against the free face of the slide pivot pin 32 which is disposed horizontally and parallel to the posts 17. The element 31 has an arm 33 (see Figs. 3 and 5) which extends horizontally at right angles to the pivot 32. This element 3.1 with this arm 33 can thus swing vertically up and down to a limited extent. The element 31 is provided with a flange 34, and an arcuate plate 35 is secured to the slide by screws 36 and has a margin overlying the flange 34 so as to confine the element 31 against a vertical face of the slide 21. That face of the slide 21 may have a shallow recess 37 which reduces the frictional area of contact between the element and the slide 21, thus reducing the The pulleys 10 and 11 are fixed on the ends 21, and is pivoted thereto by a friction that opposes the rocking movement of the element 31 on the -pivot end 32. The element 31 is provided with a passage 38 from face to face thereof and a shaft 39 is rotatably mounted therein in roller bearings 40. The bearings 4t engage against oppositely facing, internal shoulders of the passage 38 which limits approach of the bearings toward each other.

A wheel 41is detachably coupled to the forward end of the shaft 39 so as to rotate therewith, and a bearing seal 42 is disposed on the shaft 39 between the forward bearing 40 and the wheel 41. A nut 43 is threaded upon the rear end of the shaft 39, and a washer 44 is disposed on the shaft 39 between the nut 43 and the rear bearing 40, which limits forward movement of the shaft 39. The wheel 41 is in side by side alinement with the wheels 7 and 8, and its periphery has a width or thickness which is less than the width of each groove 9, so that it, if necessary, may enter the grooves 9 of wheels 7 and 8 and thus engage and hold between the peripheries of the three wheels the object to be worked upon, or which itself is the tool. This object 45 is illustrated as a grinding wheel of small diameter, the shank of which is disposed between the peripheries of the three wheels. This shank carries upon its outer end a cylindrical grinding head 46. This head 46 may be formed of any suitable abrasive, such as of silicon carbide. The rear end of the shank 45 carries a head or flange 47, Fig. 3.

That face of the element 31 which is vertical and nearest to the column 2, is provided With guide bars 48 which confine to that face of the element 31 a slide plate 49 (Fig. 4). This slide plate 49 is provided with horizontally spaced stops 50 and 51, Fig. 3, which are disposed at opposite faces of the head 47 on the grinding tool 45. If the tool 45 moves endwise back and forth, the head 47 will alternately engage and move the stops 50 and 51, there being a gap between the stops 50 and 51 which is greater than the thickness of the head 47 so that the head 47 may have a substantial amount of lost motion or play between the stops and 51.

This slide plate 49 extends rearwardly beyond the element 31 and there carries parallel arms 52 and 53 which straddle opposite sides of a micro-switch 54, Fig. 3. The arm 53 engages a contact button 55 of the micro-switch, and an adjustable screw 56 in the other arm 52 engages endwise against a contact button 57 of the micro-switch 54. There is some lost motion between the arms 52 and 53 and the micro-switch, and this lost motion may be increased or decreased by turning of the screw es in one direction or the other. A lock nut 56' on the threaded part of the screw 56 engages against arm 52 to prevent unintentional turning of screw 56.

Set screws 55 and 59 are provided on the slide 21 so as to engage alternately with shoulders 6t? and 61 respectively on the element 31 (see Fig. 5). By adjusting these screws 58 and 59 the vertical rocking movements of the element 31 may be varied. Mounted on the slide 21 by bracket arms 62., are solenoids 63 and 64 which are vertically alined but spaced apart, and also vertically alined with the free end of the arm 33. The armature 65 of the solenoid 63 is pivoted by pin 66 to one end of a rod 67 which passes through a passage 63 in the arm 33 and at its other end is connectedby a pivot 69 to the armature 7% of the other solenoid 64. This rod 67 is threaded between its ends and passes very loosely through a passage 68 in the arm 33.

In other words, the diameter of the passage 68 is substantially greater than the diameter of the rod 67. Nuts 71 are threaded upon the rod 67 at opposite sides of the arm 33, and the faces of the nuts that engage the top and bottom faces of the arm 33 are arcuate and engage in corresponding shallow arcuate recesses in the top and bottom faces of the arm 33. This in effect provides ball joints between the rod 67 and the arm 33, which permits a limited rocking of the element 31 with its arm 33 relatively to the rod 67. By energizing the solenoids alternately, one may rock the arm 33 back and forth vertically to the limited extent determined by the stop screws 58 and 59. l

Referring next to Fig. 9 the electrical circuit controlled by the micro-switch is illustrated. Line wires L and L are connected to any suitable source of current. The line Wire L is connected by branch wires 72 to one end of each of the solenoids 63 and 64, so as to form a common circuit return therefor. The other end of the solenoid 63 is connected by a wire 73 to a contact 74 of the micro-switch. A wire '75 connects the other end of the solenoid 64 to another contact 76 of the micro-switch. The line wire L is connected to a switch blade 77 of the micro-switch. The parts of the microswitch are shown only diagrammatically or schematically in Fig. 9, in order to illustrate in a simple manner the closing of the circuits alternately through the action of solenoids 63 and 64. Thus when the slide plate 49 is moved endwise it connects with the line wire L alternately to the solenoids 63 and 64 and the latter alternately move the arm 33 and element 31 in vertical directions.

When the arm 33 is in mid-position in its vertical movements, the Wheel 41 will have an axis of rotation which is exactly parallel to the axes of rotation of shafts 3 and 4. The axis of the pivot pin 32 is also at this time in the same horizontal plane with the axis of rotation of the shaft 39. If extended, the axis of pin 32 would also intersect with the axis of rotation of the object 45, which is confined between the wheels. Under such conditions, there is no force which would urge the tool or object 45 in either endwise direction. When the arm 33 is moved downwardly it rocks the shaft 39 into a position where it is no longer parallel to the axes of rotation of the shafts 3 and 4. The shaft 39 and wheel 41 then take a relative position with respect to the tool or object 45 which is shown in Fig. 7.

A plane through the periphery of the Wheel 41 and normal to the axis of rotation of the shaft 39, will be oblique to the axis of rotation of the tool 45, as shown in Fig. 7. With the wheel 41 turning the tool or object 45 in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 7, the surface of the wheel 41 which is in contact with the object 45 in Fig. 7 will be moving downwardly in Fig. 7 and thus will have an oblique driving action on the object or tool 45 which has two components. One component rotates the wheel in the direction of the arrow a and the other component urges the tool or object 45 endwise of the direction of the arrow b. This will cause a slow endwise, bodily movement of the object or tool 45, forwardly or to the left in Fig. 1, and the head 47 of that tool will soon engage the stop 51 and move the slide 49 to the left in Fig. 3 until it operates the micro-switch to energize the upper solenoid 63. i

This then causes an upward movement of the arm 33 until its movement is stopped by engagement of-the shoulder 60 with the adjustable stop screw 58. During this, the wheel 41 and its shaft 39 were rocked into an oblique position at the opposite side of the normal position and oblique to the tool 45, as shown in Fig. 8. When the wheel 41 is in this position and rotating, it will exert not only a driving force to rotate the tool 45 in the direction of the arrow (1 but also will exert an endwise force on the tool 45 tending to move it in the opposite direction, which is in the direction of the. arrow c in Fig. 8. Thus by merely rocking the arm 33 vertically to a small extent, one may reverse the. direction of the endwise travel of the object or tool 45.

Also from the above description, it will become obvious that if a fast return of the tool 45, say, to the right is desired the adjusting screw 58 would be turned out so as to provide greater angularity of the wheel 41 as in Fig. 8, which angularity determines the rate of move ment as indicated by the arrow 0. A fast return of the tool 45 to the left, arrow b, Fig. 7, could alsobehad if the set screw 59 was adjusted outwardly. Thus, by

the adjustment of the set screws 58 and 59 the horizontal movement of the tool 45 can be varied to suit any requirements.

In Fig. hydraulic circuits are illustrated in place of electrical circuits for rocking the arm 33 vertically. In this example the upper solenoid is replaced by a diaphragm type fluid motor 78 and the lower solenoid is replaced by another diaphragm type fluid motor 79. A fluid under pressure is supplied by a pump 80, which delivers the fluid under pressure through a pipe 81 to a reversing valve 82. A valve element 83 which is connected for operation to the slide 49 has spaced lands 84. These lands serve to connect the pipe 81 alternately to pipes 85 and 86 as the valve element 83 reciprocates endwise. The pipe 85 leads to the fluid motor 78, and the pipe 86 leads to the motor 79. The lands on the valve element 83 serve to automatically vent whichever of the pipe 85 or 86 is not connected to the pipe 81. Valves of this type are well known in the hydraulic press art.

In the operation of this device, the operator moves the handle 27 to pull the slide 21 away from the column 2 which shifts the wheel 41 away from the wheels 7 and 8. It is then possible to insert an object or tool 45 between the three wheels, and then when the handle is moved in the opposite direction to release the rod 22, the springs 30 will shift the slide 21 toward the wheels 7 and 8 until the wheel 41 forces the interposed tool or body 45 into contact with all three wheels. This operation centers the tool or object automatically, even though the diameter of the tool or object may vary considerably. This not only centers and rotatably sup ports the object or tool, but it keeps it axially alined. The operation of the motor 12 causes the wheels 7 and 8 to rotate, and this automatically rotates the tool or object 45 at a high speed.

It will be noted that there are no bearings for the tool or object 45, and since the wheels 7, 8 and 41 are relatively large in diameter, the peripheries will have a rapid linear speed, even though the angular speed of rotation, or revolutions per minute, of the wheels 7, 8 and 41 is only moderate. The bearings of the wheels 7, 8 and 41 will not run hot at such speeds, and yet the linear speeds of the peripheries of the wheels will be transmitted to the periphery of a relatively small diameter of tool or object 45, so that we may obtain a high speed of rotation of the tool or object 45 without the necessity of having a high speed bearing, with consequent high friction and heat. As the solenoids are alternately energized, they will cause rocking of the wheel 41 back and forth between the positions shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which will cause alternate endwise movements of the tool or object 45 while it rotates. This endwise movement automatically causes a reversal in the positions of the wheel 41, which causes a change in direction of endwise movement of the tool 45.

When the obejct 45 is a tool, its abrasive head 46 will be moved endwise so as, for example, to engage and machine an internal passage 87, Fig. 3, of a workpiece 88. In order to enable a close approach of the three wheels, the column 2 may have an indentation 89, see Fig. 2, in the face from which the posts 17 extend, into which the tool or object 45 may be received.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine tool comprising a support, three wheels disposed in side by side alinement and also in a triangular relation, two of said wheels having endless grooves along their peripheries and the other wheel having its periphery of less width than the widths of said grooves so as to be able to enter said grooves as the third wheel moves closer to the other two wheels, means on said support for mounting said two wheels for rotation on their own axes, means connected to said two wheels for rotating them on their axes, a member mounted on said support for movement toward and from said two wheels, means for selectively moving said member toward and from said two wheels, an arm hinged on said member to rock on said member back and forth about an axis crosswise of the axis of rotation of said two wheels and also crosswise of the direction of movement of said member, said arm supporting the third wheel for rotation about an axis approximately parallel to the axes of rotation of said two wheels, and means by which said arm may be rocked back and forth to limited extents and rock the axis of rotation of said third wheel in opposite directions through an intermediate position in which the axis of rotation of the third wheel is parallel to the axes of rotation of said two wheels, the axis of rocking of said arm, if extended, passing through the axis of rotation of said third wheel and its periphery, whereby when an object is disposed between the three wheels and engaged, centered, held rotated by the three wheels, as those wheels rotate, the rocking of said arm will cause that object to move endwise slowly, as it rotates, in a direction that changes as the arm is rocked.

2. A machine tool comprising a support, three wheels rotatably carried by said support and disposed in side by side alinement and also in a triangular relation, means for causing relative approach and recession of one wheel relatively to the others so as to engage, center and hold an object disposed between said wheels, means for rotating at least one of said wheels about its axis so as to rotate said object, the peripheries of two of said wheels telescoping with the periphery of the other wheel to enable the wheels to approach closely and engage and hold objects of small diameters, the mounting of one of said wheels on said support being operable to rock the axis of rotation of that wheel in a plane parallel to a plane through the axes of the other two wheels back and forth through a position in which it is parallel to the axes of rotation of said last mentioned other two Wheels, the axis of rocking of said last mentioned one wheel, if extended, passing through the axis of rotation of that one wheel and its periphery and the axis of rotation of said object held between the wheels, whereby the rocking of said wheel axis will cause said object to move endwise slowly as it rotates, in one direction or the other depending upon Whether that wheel axis is at one side or the other of a position in which it is parallel to the axes of rotation of the other wheels.

3. The tool as set forth in claim 2, and means rendered effective by the endwise movement of said object for causing a rocking of said wheel axis automatically at the end of a desired endwise travel of the object in each direction.

4. A machine tool comprising a support, three wheels disposed in side by side alinement and also in a triangular relation, said support having two parts relatively movable toward and from each other, two of said Wheels being mounted on the fixed one of said parts for rotation about their individual axes, means for rotating at least one of said two wheels, an arm hinged on the movable one of said parts to rock back and forth on an axis which extends in a direction that is crosswise of said relative movement of said parts and of said axes of rotation of said two wheels, the third wheel being rotatably supported on said arm with its axis of rotation approximately parallel to the axes of rotation of said two wheels, the axis of rocking of said arm, if extended, passing through the axis of rotation of said third wheel and its periphery, means by which said movable part may be shifted toward and from the fixed part and yieldingly urged toward said fixed part, whereby when an object is disposed between said wheels, while said parts are separated, it will be engaged by all of the wheels, when said parts approach, and-centered and held thereby for rotation with the wheels, and means for rocking said arm back and forth to shift the axis of rotation of said third wheel carried thereby, in opposite directions through an intermediate position in which it is parallel to the axes of rotation of said two wheels, whereby said object that is centered and held by said wheeis will be moved by its rotation slowly in one direction or the other depending upon which side of said intermediate position the axis of said third wheel be at any time.

5. The tool as set forth in claim 4, and means controlled by the endwise movement of said object for automatically causing a rocking of said arm in a manner to carry the axis of rotation of said third wheel through said intermediate position and thus reverse the direction of endwise movement of said objectv 6. The tool as set forth in claim 4 and the periphery of one of said wheels being formed to telescope somewhat with the peripheries of the other wheels to enable a very close approach of said wheels whereby they may engage, center and hold an object of very small diameter. V

7. The tool as set forth in claim 4, and means controlled by endwise movement of said object for automatically causing a rocking of said arm in a manner to carry the axis of rotation of said third wheel through said intermediate position and thus reverse the direction of endwise movement of said object, the periphery of one of said wheels being formed to telescope somewhat with the peripheries of the other wheels to enable a very close approach of said wheels whereby they may engage,

center and hold an object of very small diameterl No references cited. 

